The Portland daily press., 1887-10-24
THE DETAILED ACCOUNT.
What Was Said and Done at the Hear

THE DETAILED ACCOUNT.
What Was Said and Done at the Hear
ing.
DEXTER, Oct 22.-Men were stamping
their feet to keep them warm when
Judge Waldron opened the hearing this
morning. "Please keep quiet" remarked
the judge "It is necessary that the evidence
may be taken in telligibly."
Another interval of silence, disturbed only
by the half-subdued utterances of court Off
cials and attorneys. A few stamped their
feet, not with impatience, but with the cold.
County Attorney Appleton opened for the
government. He told how Barron was found;
that all the appearances went to show that
the cashier was murdered. He declared that
the purpose of the government was not to go
into elaborate details of the manner in which
Barron was found; he hoped that the de-
fence would not attempt to elicit this from
the government He spoke of the gravity
of the crime charged, the excitement pro-
duced by the crime, and intimated that the
details of the affair have sunk deep into the
minds of the people of Dexter. When Mr..
Appleton said the government after years of
mystery, had found a clew, and believed
that it could lay before the State case that
would directly implicate two men, there was
some applause. ut is not our purpose now
to lay before the court all our evidence, but
shall content myself with going over the
more important facts; / shall show
more than probable cause that
these respondents committed the crime
with which they are charged. Now
f0 hoaE Mill fhaf IT.,
year 1876 or thereabouts there existed a gang
of men whose headquarters were in the town
of Medfeld at David l.. Stains house, and
that Stain was the leader of this gang or as
sociation of wicked men. The gang COM
pri sed the two respondents, John Harvey
and other persons. From the testimony Of
one of the government witnesses it will be
shown that Cromwell confessed to one Of his
confederates that he and Stain were in Dex-
ter on Feb. %, 1873, and that, Stain and
Cromwell committed the crime now charged
against them. We shall also show by other
witnesses that the respondents were in this
town when the crime was committed. We
shall also sf ow that the respondents admit
ted that they were in Dexter when the
dark deed was done, and they admit ed that
they, the respondents, did the deed"
Then Attorney General Baker arose and
began brief argument to establish the fact
that Cashier Barron was really murdered
Lawyer Crosby asked certain questions, and
the attorney general described just how Bar
ron was found and what the appearances
were. Whenever the attorney general hesi
tated in his description, Counsel Crosby for
Stain made a suggestion or two or demurred
from the point argued by the attorney gen.
eral. Then all the lawyers chatted pleasant
ly about the points under discussion. There
was an interval of consultation between as
sociate counsel, and then the big crowd got
restless again.
Benjamin c. Thompson
was the first witness sworn. He said he had
lived in Dexter "a years and had large
acquaintance there. He said that on the day
of the Barron murder he saw strangers in
Dexter. On that day he saw a man cross
| the street from the bank building. SIT was
| IL o'clock in the morning." continued wit
ness; land the man was coming toward me
and passed within ten feet of me. l looked
at him pretty sharply because knew he was
| stranger He had on a rubber cO0t and
| cap with large visor. / did not see the
man again, but when heard of the murder
next morning the cOu0t6ndQce became clear
| to me. l see the man here again today"
| And the witness pointed out Cromwell.
On being cr0SS-examlned witness said: II
knew man named Moses Carr at the time
| and have seen him since. Did not know that
| he was in town that day or that he was in
| the habit of wearing rubber coat Haven't
seen him but little for 10 or 16 years. / see
| lots of strangers in town. Don't know a
man named Miller Cromwell. Didn't see
| any one by that name in town that day.
| When L the stranger he walking at
a fair gait Should think l looked at the
man five or six seconds. Never saw him
since until now, but have no doubt in my
mind but that he is the man."
Daniel w. McCrIIIis.
was next sworn. II have lived in Dexter
fifteen years." he said. 81 was awoolen
manufacturer at the time of the Barron
tragedy. l saw the prisoner, Stain. on the
day of the murder. on the street near the
Merchants Exchange Hotel. My wife was
with me at the time. When / first noticed
him he was ten rods away. mistook him
at first for John s. Heald of Portland,
cred my mistake: Then looked at him par
ticularly to see If it was anybody did know.
passed close to him and observed him care
fully After he passed / looked to see in
passed the Exchange, and went on towards
Barr0n's house. The man was hanging his
head, and as he went by looked at me close
ly. His eyes are the particular features by
which / identify him today. He had on a
grayish-br0wn 0vercoat."
On cross-examination by Mr.. Crosby, the
witness again described the particular posi-
tion of the man when he saw him. The
stranger had moustache and narrow sandy
chin whiskers; the overcoat was unbuttoned
and witness recognized him mainly from a
side view and the peculiar look of his eyes
81 haven't the least doubt" he said, ''bui
that the one here is the one. My attention
was called to the man the day after the mur
der, and described to the sheriff on that
day how the man was dressed"
Elmer A. Brewster
was sworn and testified: "l have been {
resident of Dexter for thirteen years.
noticed the two prisoners in court one weel
ago today. l have seen Stain before. Or
the day of the Barron murder, few min
| uteS after noon, a man came into my stor,
after crackers and cheese. Did not stop Il
J havel paper around them. He put th,
crackers in one pocket and the cheese in tn,
other. That night when heard of the Bar
ron murder, l told about my customer !
identify Stain todayas the man."
On being cross-examined witness said The
! man had on brownish overcoat He had
mustache of sandy color but no whiskers
Witnesses attention was particularly at
} tracted because he did not have the cracker
done up. He bought p cents worth o
| goods. He had on soft hat.